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THIS IS AMERICA - Celebrating America's Birthday With Fireworks, Music, Picnics and ParadesBy Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 16:00:00 UTC

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. July Fourth is America's birthday. This year is the two hundred thirtieth anniversary of independence.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:


Fourth of July fireworks over New York City

Thousands of people are expected to celebrate Independence Day at Mount Vernon, Virginia, the home of George Washington.

As a general, he led an army of colonists1 against British rule. Later George Washington became the first president of the United States. He helped the nation grow during its very early, very difficult days.

July Fourth celebrations take place each year at Mount Vernon. But organizers at the home of the man they call the first American hero say this year is special. There will be an expanded military presence 鈥?eighteenth century military, that is. Members of groups including the Fifes and Drums of Prince William the Third will perform.

VOICE TWO:

Visitors will listen to eighteenth century and modern music as they eat birthday cake to celebrate the Fourth of July. And the George Washington Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution will lead a procession. It will end at George Washington's burial marker.

There will be actors dressed as George and Martha Washington. And visitors will hear a reading of the Declaration of Independence.

VOICE ONE:

Holiday observances also take place at Monticello, the Virginia home of Thomas Jefferson. Like Washington, Jefferson was a hero of America's earliest days. He wrote the Declaration of Independence. And he became the third president of the United States.

At Monticello a naturalization ceremony will be held to swear in new American citizens. This Independence Day event has been a yearly tradition since nineteen sixty-three.

Almost three thousand people have been sworn in as citizens at the Fourth of July ceremonies at Monticello.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence after war began between the American colonies and their British rulers. King George the Third of England taxed the colonies, but they could not elect members to Parliament. Taxation2 without representation angered the colonists. So did other British laws for the colonies.

In seventeen seventy-five, the first Americans died in battle against British troops. Some colonists remained loyal to England. But others were in full rebellion.

Among them was Richard Henry Lee. Lee represented Virginia in the Continental3 Congress in Philadelphia. On June seventh, seventeen seventy-six, he proposed a resolution. The resolution said Congress should declare America free of British rule.

VOICE ONE:

A committee was named to prepare the document. Thomas Jefferson wrote it between June eleventh and June twenty-eighth. And on July fourth, seventeen seventy-six, members of the Second Continental Congress approved it. They called it The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America.

Listen now to some of the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence.

READER:

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving4 their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

VOICE TWO:

Today the original Declaration of Independence is shown at the National Archives building in Washington, D.C.

VOICE ONE:

Independence Day is celebrated5 across the country as a national holiday. But it was not always that way.

Federal law says Congress can declare official holidays only for federal employees and the District of Columbia. States and local governments can choose to observe these holidays or declare their own.

Massachusetts became the first state to officially recognize Independence Day. That is where the Revolutionary War began. Massachusetts declared the Fourth of July a holiday in seventeen eighty-one. Two years later, Boston, Massachusetts, became the first city to make Independence Day an official holiday.

VOICE TWO:

Outdoor gatherings6 with family and friends are a Fourth of July tradition. And no picnic meal would be complete without one of the favorite sweet fruits of summer -- watermelon.

We get the watermelon all over our faces and hands, says a woman from Valencia, California. Sometimes insects bite us. Or we get too much sun. But it would not be the Fourth of July without a picnic.

Patriotic7 music is another Fourth of July tradition. Listen as Faith Hill sings The Star-Spangled Banner.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Francis Scott Key wrote the words to The Star-Spangled Banner in eighteen fourteen as America and Britain were at war. The poet and lawyer watched as British forces attacked Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland.

After the battle ended, he could see that the American flag still waved above the fort. He wrote a poem and said it should be sung to the music of the popular English song To Anacreon in Heaven.

That poem later became America's national anthem8.

But some people say the high notes are too difficult to sing, or the words do not make enough sense. Some think America the Beautiful would make a better national anthem.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:


Independence Day parade in the state of Rhode Island

Cities and towns of all sizes hold Independence Day celebrations. Hebron, Indiana, with a population of less than four thousand, will hold a parade. In California, the Taiwan Visitors Association is one of the organizers of a music and fireworks show planned in San Francisco.

Not surprisingly, some of the biggest Fourth of July celebrations take place in the nation's capital. The National Independence Day Parade in Washington includes invited bands from across the country.

VOICE ONE:

Then, in the evening, the National Symphony Orchestra performs a free concert. The event takes place on the West Lawn of the Capitol building, where Congress meets.

People gather along the National Mall to listen to the music. The United States Army Salute9 Battery provides cannon10 fire during the Eighteen-Twelve Overture11 by Tchaikovsky. And, weather permitting, the night ends with a big fireworks show over the Washington Monument.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Faith Lapidus. You can download a transcript12 and audio of this show at www.unsv.com. And we hope you can join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.


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1 colonists 4afd0fece453e55f3721623f335e6c6f     
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 taxation tqVwP     
n.征税,税收,税金
参考例句:
  • He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
  • The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
3 continental Zazyk     
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的
参考例句:
  • A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
  • The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。
4 deriving 31b45332de157b636df67107c9710247     
v.得到( derive的现在分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取
参考例句:
  • I anticipate deriving much instruction from the lecture. 我期望从这演讲中获得很多教益。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He anticipated his deriving much instruction from the lecture. 他期望从这次演讲中得到很多教益。 来自辞典例句
5 celebrated iwLzpz     
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的
参考例句:
  • He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
  • The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
6 gatherings 400b026348cc2270e0046708acff2352     
聚集( gathering的名词复数 ); 收集; 采集; 搜集
参考例句:
  • His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
  • During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次,其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。
7 patriotic T3Izu     
adj.爱国的,有爱国心的
参考例句:
  • His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
  • The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。
8 anthem vMRyj     
n.圣歌,赞美诗,颂歌
参考例句:
  • All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
  • As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上,唱起了国歌。
9 salute rYzx4     
vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮
参考例句:
  • Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
  • The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。
10 cannon 3T8yc     
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮
参考例句:
  • The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
  • The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。
11 overture F4Lza     
n.前奏曲、序曲,提议,提案,初步交涉
参考例句:
  • The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
  • His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。
12 transcript JgpzUp     
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书
参考例句:
  • A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
  • They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

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